2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Alignment shops in Colorado?

[Sticks]

Anybody recommend a shop to do an alignment on a 02 3500 4x4 in the Denver Metro area?



Steering is not loose, just pulls to the right and I have had enough of it. I was hoping it was the slope on the roads, but I managed to prove that one wrong. Complete tire rotation did not help.

 

[BarryG]

Sticks:

You might try the Big O Tire shop where we had the wrench day. Mike Lockner said he was a good alignment guy. Also Bob Berends (laserbob) who does alignments on big trucks recommends somebody up north. Might be worth shooting him a pm. I just got mine aligned when I put on new tires at a firestone shop of all places (long story). I gave him the specs from Dave Fritzs site. He couldn't get right on those specs but pretty close. My truck drives way different now. Much better. Surely the new tires helped but the alignment job did too. No more right hand pull and not as much wander as before. Used to be my arm would get tired from a long haul because of the right hand pull this past weekend a noticable difference in my right arm due to the lack of right hand pull.

 

[mlockner]

Hey sticks, head up to the Big O tire store we had the wrench day at. They have a brand new machine and the guy spent a couple weeks training on the machine. They can get 4X4 duallys on their machine also. Tell them I recommended them and ask for John or Craig.

Mike L.

 

[ftb87]

Mine use to pull to the right also. Baer alignment shop downtown did an excellent job on my truck (they also installed the off set joint to correct the problem).



I think my truck was the 1st one done with an offset joint.



Thanks

Frank

 

[Sticks]

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations. I think that I will probably throw my business at the Big O, since they offered up the facilities for the wrench day. Hopefully they will be able to cure what ails my baby. My left arm is getting tired of holding to the left.



Sticks

 

[Good Ole Bob]

bad ball joints

This past week I took my Ram in to have the front end alighned, after having the tires rotated and ballanced. I took it the shop that I take my other vechiles to, but, their lift would not lift the truck up enough. He did say that the upper and lower ball joints had movement in the them. He showed me, and they did. I took the truck to another shop that does big rigs, and they alighned the front end, but; said that the lower joints had movement in them.



My question is, is anyone else having this problem, ( thetruck only has around 55,000 mi on it) It is driven on the street 99% of the time. Also, the first guy mentioned the off set joints. Has anyone else had this done. The second shop did not mention this???



The truck did pull to the right, but after the alignment, it is not too noticeable. I just put around 2400 miles on it, and it handled ok.

 

[Clinton]

What is the 'offset joint'? Where in the steering system is it installed? Never heard of it until now. Thanks.

 

[AFacey]

Hey guys- where is the Big O shop located? How about a phone number? I really need to get an alignment done. My arm is ready to fall off too.



Thanks

 

[BarryG]

Afacey:

Dont know the phone number maybe Mike L will chime in with it but it is the Big O in Thornton about 125th and Colorado Blvd. Make sure and tell John Gregor you are from the TDR just to let him know that his wrench day is paying off so he will maybe do it again for us in the future.

 

[greyghost]

AFacey,

Not sure of the Big O the rest of the guys are talking about. But the Big O I go to is on the corner of Independence and 58th Ave (a. k. a Ralston Rd. ). Phone is 303-421-2881 ask for Joel.

 

[mlockner]

The store I am talking about is located at:

12740 North Colorado Blvd.

303-457-2622

You can ask for John or Craig and let them know I sent you there way and that you are a TDR member. It is a brand new store with state of the art equipment and Craig was at training recently for a week or 2 and he has done his truck a few times for practice so I know he knows our trucks.

Mike L.

 

[AFacey]

thanks mike- leaving in 20 mins.

 

[AFacey]

The details of my trip to Big O. First off my truck already had the offset ball joint replaced under warranty by prestige in longmont. After that was done ( about 3 months ago ) the truck actually pulled slighty to the left. After about 3000 miles though, the pull to the right returned. I run 285/75/16 BFG AT KO tires, which are wearing perfectly. I have only 11k miles on the truck.



I took my truck to Big O (126th and co) and the only adjustment Craig made was a slight adjust to the toe. He said the camber/caster was setup exactly as he would do. Well after a test run it still pulls right. We checked for a brake hang up - none. We then cross rotated the front tires and it still pulls right. I was told that my BFG tires are causing the problems.



I know a lot of people that run these tires and have no problems. I'm out another 50 bucks and still pulling to the right. Anyone have any ideas? :{

 

[BarryG]

Afacey

Do you know what specs everything is set at. Should show on the printout if you got one. You might compare those to the specs from Dave Fritz's site which are in the thread below. Also dodge came out with a tsb for the toe-in in addition to the specs below



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66234

 

[AFacey]

The current specs according to print out:



camber: 0. 3 & 0. 4 (degrees)

caster: 2. 7 & 3. 2 (degrees)

toe: 1/32 & 1/64



total toe = 1/16

steer ahead 0. 02 ( degrees)

 

[ftb87]

You might want to call Bear Frame and Axle. They fixed my pull to the right!!! Just an fyi not to bash on a tire dealer. Go to an expert. My was aligned and ball joint installed about 2 years ago. Guess what, no pull.